Kenyan leader refuses to end TV shutdown

KENYA’S government ignored Western pressure and flouted its own judges yesterday after it refused to end an unprecedented shutdown of independent television stations.

Escalating a broader clampdown, police also arrested a second prominent opposition figure, prompting a renewal of the political violence that has claimed scores of lives since the disputed election last August.

The country’s three largest independent television stations remained off the air for a fourth day as Uhuru Kenyatta, the president, showed no sign of letting up in his campaign against journalists who defied him.

Despite personally being ordered not to by Mr Kenyatta, the three stations on Tuesday broadcast the buildup to the parallel inauguration of Raila Odinga, the opposition leader.

Mr Odinga had himself sworn in as “the people’s president” after refusing to accept his rival’s victory in two elections last year, the first of which was overturned by the supreme court, the second boycotted by the opposition.

Ending an intense period of quiet diplomacy, the US condemned a government attempt to “shut down, intimidate and restrict the media”.

“Freedom of expression is essential to democracy,” the state department said. “We urge the government… to implement court orders calling for the restoration of television broadcasts.”

Britain has echoed the US call, although both have also condemned Mr Odinga for creating a parallel government.